Epress.am News from Armenia
On May 2, Aram Bareghamyan, who was arrested in connection with the events of March 1, 2008, will be released from prison.
As previously reported, the Sevan penitentiary administration recommended Bareghamyan’s early release. A commission dealing with parole applications reviewed, then approved the recommendation. The news of his impending release is to be announced during a court session today.
“A court session is to take place at 2 pm tomorrow, after which we will bring Aram home,” Bareghamyan’s brother Husik Bareghamyan told Epress.am yesterday.
Bareghamyan headed a regional chapter of a major political party aligned with the main opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) before being arrested in the wake of the disputed presidential ballot. He was sentenced to six years in prison for allegedly assaulting a police officer during the March 2008 unrest in Yerevan, reported RFE/RL’s Armenian service earlier.
The prison sentenced was based on the police officer’s incriminating testimony. Both Bareghamyan and the HAK leadership consider it politically motivated.
Recall, HAK leader Levon Ter-Petrossian announced during the opposition’s April 28 rally that he expects the only unfulfilled demand of the three demands he put forth to the Sargsyan administration — to free all remaining political prisoners — to be met by May 28.
Note, after Bareghayan’s release, there will be six other HAK loyalists in prison in connection with March 1 events.
Recall as well that National Assembly Chair Hovik Abrahamyan appealed to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, asking him to consider imprisoned oppositionist Sasun Mikaelyan’s health and to “consider the possibility of pardoning him.”